With hurricane season here, and loss of service always a possibility during any storm, a Tuesday Twosome from a while ago asks how I'd react..
Doing without...
1. If the cable/dish is out of service, what is your reaction and why?
Losing television capability doesn't bother me much. I don't watch very much television, and shows will usually re-air. And we do have tapes and DVDs that we could watch (I still want to do a LotR extended edition marathon one of these days...)
Losing the cable modem, on the other hand, is a greater annoyance. We've gotten used to having high-speed Internet, and since I update my parish's website weekly, having 'net access is certainly important. I do have a copy on my computer at home, though, so I can always copy the updates to my thumbdrive and upload them from elsewhere if I lose access from home. If the whole area has lost service, there are certainly bigger problems than my church website being a week out of date.
2. If the electricity is out of service, what is your reaction and why?
It would depend on the time of both day and year. Losing power in Florida in the summer is absolutely miserable - no power means no air conditioning, and I am a colossal heat wuss. Lack of power also makes it difficult to pursue my hobbies of reading or stitching when there's not light outside to use. In what passes for winter here when there's less heat and bugs, it's less of an issue.
As everyone in Florida can probably attest after last year, extended power outages bring their own problems such as food spoilage and lack of clean clothing (and water, for people who have electric-driven wells), not to mention traffic and other logistics issues on the civic front.
3. If the phone service is out of service, what is your reaction and why?
Losing phone service at home is a minor annoyance. I'm not a big telephone talker.
4. If your cell phone is out of service, what is your reaction and why?
Losing cell is also just a minor annoyance. I have a cell that I keep with me most of the time, primarily so I can be reached by family or school/daycare if need be, or to reach someone in case of emergency.
5. How dependent on a scale from 1 to 5 (5 being extremely dependent) are you on the four items/services that were just mentioned and do you think it is a good or bad thing?
In general, I'd have to say:
Cable (TV): 1
Cable (Internet): 3
Electricity: 5
Phone: 1
Cell: 2
(Of course, particular situations may change the odds somewhat. If I'm stranded on a deserted highway, lack of cell phone would be a serious problem.)
Having lost all four services simultaneously during Hurricane Jeanne, I certainly missed electricity the most, by far. I didn't miss the others hardly at all, other than that losing all three meant that we were unable to contact out-of-state family to let them know we were okay. But we made do, and other than the heat it wasn't unbearable.
As for good or bad... I think that not being very dependent on TV and phone is certainly a good thing. I'm certainly very dependent on electricity (and perhaps a bit too much so on A/C), but with my profession, electricity is indispensible. I honestly don't know what field I'd be in if not computers.
Wednesday, June 29, 2005
Monday, June 27, 2005
Cruise control?
Normally I don't pay much attention to celebrity goings-on, much less blog about them, but the more I hear about the whole Tom Cruise-Katie Holmes affair, the more disturbed I am.
Not that I have any beef with "love at first sight" (Been there, done that, got the wedding ring), or with him openly declaring his love in a big to-do on a talk show. Granted, I think Cruise is a little old to be doing that, but new love can make someone giddy. And it's certainly not that I've ever had any sort of crush on him myself. Yeah, he might be considered better-than-average looking, and I liked his acting in Last Samurai, but he's never made me weak in the knees, not even in his Top Gun days. (Ioan Gruffudd, on the other hand, I find rather easy on the eyes...but I digress.)
What gets me are some of the strange things I've been hearing, both about Cruise's blathering about psychiatry and drugs, and about some rather suspicious circumstances regarding Holmes' sudden change of lifestyle. A sensible young lady disappears for two weeks, then suddenly fires her manager and agent, cuts off a long-time friend, and renounces a religion she apparently devoutly practiced.
Something is rotten in Denmark, indeed. You don't just wholesale discard your formative belief system at the drop of a hat, even for love. Not if they have two brain cells to rub together, anyway. Yes, people do convert - I did. But my conversion to Catholicism took time - time for my mind to explore, to decide, to vet against what I believed deep down. It was not a decision made lightly, or quickly.
And certainly not one made without reservation within a fortnight.
So either Katie Holmes is supremely stupid and impressionable, or there's something darker going on.
Not that I have any beef with "love at first sight" (Been there, done that, got the wedding ring), or with him openly declaring his love in a big to-do on a talk show. Granted, I think Cruise is a little old to be doing that, but new love can make someone giddy. And it's certainly not that I've ever had any sort of crush on him myself. Yeah, he might be considered better-than-average looking, and I liked his acting in Last Samurai, but he's never made me weak in the knees, not even in his Top Gun days. (Ioan Gruffudd, on the other hand, I find rather easy on the eyes...but I digress.)
What gets me are some of the strange things I've been hearing, both about Cruise's blathering about psychiatry and drugs, and about some rather suspicious circumstances regarding Holmes' sudden change of lifestyle. A sensible young lady disappears for two weeks, then suddenly fires her manager and agent, cuts off a long-time friend, and renounces a religion she apparently devoutly practiced.
Something is rotten in Denmark, indeed. You don't just wholesale discard your formative belief system at the drop of a hat, even for love. Not if they have two brain cells to rub together, anyway. Yes, people do convert - I did. But my conversion to Catholicism took time - time for my mind to explore, to decide, to vet against what I believed deep down. It was not a decision made lightly, or quickly.
And certainly not one made without reservation within a fortnight.
So either Katie Holmes is supremely stupid and impressionable, or there's something darker going on.
Sunday, June 26, 2005
Late-night torture...
DD came into my room around 2 a.m. this morning asking for a glass of water, and as I lay there trying to go back to sleep, my brain was tortured by the most insidious headsticker of all time...."Copacabana"
I wonder into which circle of Hell Dante would have placed marketing folks who gleefully insert such evil into popular variety party CDs. What is "Copacabana" doing on a Luau CD anyway??
I did manage to escape my torture this morning with "Margaritaville". God bless Jimmy Buffett.
I wonder into which circle of Hell Dante would have placed marketing folks who gleefully insert such evil into popular variety party CDs. What is "Copacabana" doing on a Luau CD anyway??
I did manage to escape my torture this morning with "Margaritaville". God bless Jimmy Buffett.
Thursday, June 23, 2005
Hitting the deck...
This weekend, DD's bestest friend H is spending the night. Both girls are very much looking forward to it!
In the process of shopping for food and other items, I picked up a card game called Slamwich. It looked like a lot of fun for smaller children, a slapjack variant with the cards shaped like slices of bread with various sandwich reagents on them. We played a game last night, and it was pretty fun. It also reminds me a *lot* of a game I learned to play in high school called Egyptian Ratscrew. Great fun, if a little rough on the knuckles sometimes.
Thinking back, that simple stack of 52 has provided literally *years* of entertainment. I can't remember a time when I didn't know or enjoy any card games. I have a vague memory of being about 4 or 5, and playing Old Maid with some stepcousins. Old Maid was one of the first card games DD learned, followed by another old standby - Go Fish. Another fairly simple game was War, which one could play just about anywhere (including schoolbus seats). That and Crazy Eights got a lot of lunchtime play in my elementary school years, as well as other table games like pencil (or paper) football and penny soccer.
I learned how to play Solitaire fairly young as well, and I played quite a lot of it during my lonelier times, and knew several variants such as Clock and Pyramid. Everyone knows Klondike (your standard 'red 9 on black 10' Solitaire that anyone with MSWindows has played at least once), with Freecell and Spider being popular software variants, but there are so many more.
(A place called Pretty Good Solitaire claims to have over 600 variants.)
By the time I was in junior high, I had picked up games like Rummy, Hearts, and several types of Poker, though I've never played poker for anything more high-stakes than small-coin antes. Another bluffing game I remember playing a lot in junior high was B.S., though I don't think I've played it since 9th grade. That got trumped by the aforementioned Egyptian Ratscrew, as well as life in general.
Speaking of trumps, at a previous job, I learned how to play Kaiser, a bid/trick game similar to Spades. A group of us would play Kaiser over lunch a couple times a week for years. I actually got pretty good at bidding well and interpreting what a partner's bid tended to mean, before folks in the group (myself included) left the company. I learned how to play Spades while travelling in Italy last year. In a way, Kaiser served me well in figuring out Spades, but it also coloured the way I looked at a hand (how do I ditch the 3♠?). I do enjoy trick-based games, and I would love to learn how to play Euchre and Bridge someday.
Commercial card games are growing in popularity. Long before Slamwich, there was Uno, which owes a lot to Crazy Eights. After 30 years, Uno is still going strong, and there are even variants to play. My family and I played Uno while I was in hospital to have DD. Nowadays they have themed Uno cards, and even simplified versions for shortlings (DD has a Dora the Explorer "My First Uno"). A couple years ago, my parents introduced us to Phase 10, a variant of Contract Rummy. It's a lot of fun, but can be frustrating if you've been trying for multiple hands to make a particular 'phase'.
With all the games you can play with a single deck, cards are a must-have travel item with a group. I definitely need to get better at Spades before my next overseas trip, though!
In the process of shopping for food and other items, I picked up a card game called Slamwich. It looked like a lot of fun for smaller children, a slapjack variant with the cards shaped like slices of bread with various sandwich reagents on them. We played a game last night, and it was pretty fun. It also reminds me a *lot* of a game I learned to play in high school called Egyptian Ratscrew. Great fun, if a little rough on the knuckles sometimes.
Thinking back, that simple stack of 52 has provided literally *years* of entertainment. I can't remember a time when I didn't know or enjoy any card games. I have a vague memory of being about 4 or 5, and playing Old Maid with some stepcousins. Old Maid was one of the first card games DD learned, followed by another old standby - Go Fish. Another fairly simple game was War, which one could play just about anywhere (including schoolbus seats). That and Crazy Eights got a lot of lunchtime play in my elementary school years, as well as other table games like pencil (or paper) football and penny soccer.
I learned how to play Solitaire fairly young as well, and I played quite a lot of it during my lonelier times, and knew several variants such as Clock and Pyramid. Everyone knows Klondike (your standard 'red 9 on black 10' Solitaire that anyone with MSWindows has played at least once), with Freecell and Spider being popular software variants, but there are so many more.
(A place called Pretty Good Solitaire claims to have over 600 variants.)
By the time I was in junior high, I had picked up games like Rummy, Hearts, and several types of Poker, though I've never played poker for anything more high-stakes than small-coin antes. Another bluffing game I remember playing a lot in junior high was B.S., though I don't think I've played it since 9th grade. That got trumped by the aforementioned Egyptian Ratscrew, as well as life in general.
Speaking of trumps, at a previous job, I learned how to play Kaiser, a bid/trick game similar to Spades. A group of us would play Kaiser over lunch a couple times a week for years. I actually got pretty good at bidding well and interpreting what a partner's bid tended to mean, before folks in the group (myself included) left the company. I learned how to play Spades while travelling in Italy last year. In a way, Kaiser served me well in figuring out Spades, but it also coloured the way I looked at a hand (how do I ditch the 3♠?). I do enjoy trick-based games, and I would love to learn how to play Euchre and Bridge someday.
Commercial card games are growing in popularity. Long before Slamwich, there was Uno, which owes a lot to Crazy Eights. After 30 years, Uno is still going strong, and there are even variants to play. My family and I played Uno while I was in hospital to have DD. Nowadays they have themed Uno cards, and even simplified versions for shortlings (DD has a Dora the Explorer "My First Uno"). A couple years ago, my parents introduced us to Phase 10, a variant of Contract Rummy. It's a lot of fun, but can be frustrating if you've been trying for multiple hands to make a particular 'phase'.
With all the games you can play with a single deck, cards are a must-have travel item with a group. I definitely need to get better at Spades before my next overseas trip, though!
Monday, June 20, 2005
Reaper Mom
This evening I cleaned up DD's room. Before I got home from work, DsD and dBF took DD out to the mall so I could clean without interruption, and I think it was a successful venture on both sides. I'm proud of how clean I was able to make it within a very small time frame.
I managed to cull a copypaper box full of toys, mostly of the fast-food/convenience-store type. I also put 15 stuffed animals in a box for storage, and another 25 in a large bag for donation. I've got the animals and toys that will be donated hidden away in a back closet until I have a chance to donate them - hopefully she won't notice their absence until long after they're gone.
I do feel like an evil mommy, though, the Bane Of All Things Fun, for getting rid of so many of DD's toys and stuffies. I felt pangs of regret, and occasional nostalgia when an animal to be given away was one from my own childhood. But on the other hand, DD really does have quite a lot of toys, certainly far more than she needs. Especially when there isn't really room to put everything away. Besides, the toys will go to my local thrift store to serve a higher calling.
So I acknowledged the guilt I felt, and kept going. DD got home and saw her room clean, and asked me if I'd gotten rid of anything. Uh-oh. Evasive maneuver: I asked her if it looked like I got rid of anything, to which she answered "No", and I told her that I got rid of some papers laying on the floor (which I did, but that was by no means the entirety). She was okay with that and thanked me for cleaning her room.
I just hope she doesn't notice what's missing....
I managed to cull a copypaper box full of toys, mostly of the fast-food/convenience-store type. I also put 15 stuffed animals in a box for storage, and another 25 in a large bag for donation. I've got the animals and toys that will be donated hidden away in a back closet until I have a chance to donate them - hopefully she won't notice their absence until long after they're gone.
I do feel like an evil mommy, though, the Bane Of All Things Fun, for getting rid of so many of DD's toys and stuffies. I felt pangs of regret, and occasional nostalgia when an animal to be given away was one from my own childhood. But on the other hand, DD really does have quite a lot of toys, certainly far more than she needs. Especially when there isn't really room to put everything away. Besides, the toys will go to my local thrift store to serve a higher calling.
So I acknowledged the guilt I felt, and kept going. DD got home and saw her room clean, and asked me if I'd gotten rid of anything. Uh-oh. Evasive maneuver: I asked her if it looked like I got rid of anything, to which she answered "No", and I told her that I got rid of some papers laying on the floor (which I did, but that was by no means the entirety). She was okay with that and thanked me for cleaning her room.
I just hope she doesn't notice what's missing....
Sunday, June 19, 2005
See and believe...
I've actually made decent progress on Last Supper the past couple weeks.
Behold, my progress as of 180 hours:
(Click for larger pic)
This weekend I finished the detailing on Christ and on Thomas. (Granted, Thomas was pretty easy because he's hanging out in back...)
On a only-slightly-cabbage note, I took one of those online Myers-Briggs personality-type quizzes. And like every other time I've taken an online one, I came up ISTJ. This one listed the aforementioned St. Thomas as another famous ISTJ. Maybe that's why he's the apostle to whom I can best relate...
Interestingly, though, the only time I've ever taken an 'official' MBTI test, I came up INTJ, which would put me in good company with C.S. Lewis and Gandalf.
On one of the stitching boards I'm on, most of us who took some sort of MBTI test came up as some sort of "IJ" permutation (75% of board population vs 14% of general). But given that needlework tends to be both a solitary and organized pursuit, that's not terribly surprising.
Behold, my progress as of 180 hours:
(Click for larger pic)
This weekend I finished the detailing on Christ and on Thomas. (Granted, Thomas was pretty easy because he's hanging out in back...)
On a only-slightly-cabbage note, I took one of those online Myers-Briggs personality-type quizzes. And like every other time I've taken an online one, I came up ISTJ. This one listed the aforementioned St. Thomas as another famous ISTJ. Maybe that's why he's the apostle to whom I can best relate...
Interestingly, though, the only time I've ever taken an 'official' MBTI test, I came up INTJ, which would put me in good company with C.S. Lewis and Gandalf.
On one of the stitching boards I'm on, most of us who took some sort of MBTI test came up as some sort of "IJ" permutation (75% of board population vs 14% of general). But given that needlework tends to be both a solitary and organized pursuit, that's not terribly surprising.
Thursday, June 16, 2005
Thinking about stitching...
I'm about at 175 hours in Last Supper now, and I'll try to get another progress pic up soon. I did have a neat thought regarding it - putting a Bible verse (thinking of maybe John 6:35 or 51) underneath the picture. This would balance out the fact that I mis-centered too high vertically on the fabric. I'll leave the final decision up to DH.
Lately I've seen a lot of other stitching bloggers answering 25 Questions about Stitching on their blogs, and so I don't get *too* far behind the times, I'll answer them here.
1. How old were you when you started cross stitching?
I was about 6 or 7.
2. Who taught you to cross stitch?
My mom.
3. What inspired you to begin cross stitching?
I got a box of various needlecraft projects (a beginner's kit sort of thing) for Christmas one year, and one of the projects was a stamped cross-stitch piece.
4. What has been your most difficult cross stitch piece?
The most technically difficult piece I've worked to date is Victoria Sampler's Heirloom Wedding Sampler. Though it's not strictly cross-stitch, but a variety of counted-thread techniques.
The most difficult for me to finish for subjective reasons was some arctic animal kit I'd started on aida, and I had trouble finishing it after working a piece on evenweave, because the aida was so stiff by comparison.
5. Do you have friends that stitch?
Indeed so! Most of them are online friends, but there are a few locally as well.
6. What is your favourite stitched piece?
That's like asking a mother to choose her favorite child!
7. What is your favorite fabric?
28- or 32-count evenweave, especially Lugana.
8. What is your favorite fiber?
I use the most DMC, but I love working with silks.
9. What is your favorite needle?
Size 26 Piecemakers. I love the larger eye, and they don't seem to tarnish as quickly as other needles I've used.
10. Do you prefer black & white or colored charts?
Black-and-white, definitely! Easier to make a working copy. That, and color charts have a tendency to use a symbol across multiple colors, which makes organizing my threaded needles rather trickier.
11. How many Works In Progress do you have at this time?
Only two cross-stitch pieces - Leisure Arts "Last Supper", and Teresa Wentzler's "Fortunate Traveler". I also have two crocheted afghans in the works.
12. How many UFOs do you have at this time?
None - I've either finished or adopted out my UFOs.
13. How many cross stitch charts/kits/mags do you own?
Rather a lot. I gave away a lot of magazines a couple months ago, and I need to cull my charts and kits because my tastes have changed.
14. How much fabric do you have in stock at this time?
Oh gracious, I couldn't even begin to guess! Quite a bit!
15. Where is your favorite place to stitch?
Right now, my bedroom. It's out of the main area of the house, and it's comfortable.
16. What is your favorite time of day to stitch?
I do most of my stitching in the evenings, because I work during the day.
17. How many pieces have you stitched in your lifetime?
Well, I have 26 up on my Picturetrail album, and I'm sure I've done more than twice that. I'd guess between 75 and 100 pieces.
18. Do you give your stitched pieces away?
Sometimes. Most of the smaller pieces I've done were intended as gifts.
19. How many different fibers do you have in stock at this time?
I probably have at least one skein of about 15 different types, thanks to trades and generous secret stitchers!
20. How many pairs of scissors do you own?
Needlework-specific, probably 3. Closer to a dozen if you consider general craft/sewing scissors.
21. Do you use stitching enhancers (lights, scroll frames…etc)?
DH got me an Elan lap stand for Christmas a few years ago, and it's been in continuous use since then. I use Q-snaps (for smaller pieces) or scroll rods (for larger pieces) with it.
22. How many pieces that have been stitched but not yet framed or finished off in some other way do you have at this time?
If any, perhaps a couple of small embroidery pieces that are tucked away somewhere.
23. Do you have a craft/stitching room?
Not at the moment. I've started using the guest bedroom for craft storage, and that may eventually serve dual duty as a stitching room.
24. Why do you stitch?
To retain some semblance of sanity! I like to be creating something, and seeing a piece take shape as I work on it makes me feel productive. It also relaxes me.
25. What is your most memorable time related to cross stitching?
I don't know that I could pick a 'most memorable'. I've met several other stitchers when I've travelled on business, and that's always a lot of fun. I've also gotten a couple of awards for my stitching at company art shows a few years back, which is a nice ego boost.
I'm a tad frustrated at the moment because I can't upload some updates to the parish website, so I think I'll log off and go stitch!
Lately I've seen a lot of other stitching bloggers answering 25 Questions about Stitching on their blogs, and so I don't get *too* far behind the times, I'll answer them here.
1. How old were you when you started cross stitching?
I was about 6 or 7.
2. Who taught you to cross stitch?
My mom.
3. What inspired you to begin cross stitching?
I got a box of various needlecraft projects (a beginner's kit sort of thing) for Christmas one year, and one of the projects was a stamped cross-stitch piece.
4. What has been your most difficult cross stitch piece?
The most technically difficult piece I've worked to date is Victoria Sampler's Heirloom Wedding Sampler. Though it's not strictly cross-stitch, but a variety of counted-thread techniques.
The most difficult for me to finish for subjective reasons was some arctic animal kit I'd started on aida, and I had trouble finishing it after working a piece on evenweave, because the aida was so stiff by comparison.
5. Do you have friends that stitch?
Indeed so! Most of them are online friends, but there are a few locally as well.
6. What is your favourite stitched piece?
That's like asking a mother to choose her favorite child!
7. What is your favorite fabric?
28- or 32-count evenweave, especially Lugana.
8. What is your favorite fiber?
I use the most DMC, but I love working with silks.
9. What is your favorite needle?
Size 26 Piecemakers. I love the larger eye, and they don't seem to tarnish as quickly as other needles I've used.
10. Do you prefer black & white or colored charts?
Black-and-white, definitely! Easier to make a working copy. That, and color charts have a tendency to use a symbol across multiple colors, which makes organizing my threaded needles rather trickier.
11. How many Works In Progress do you have at this time?
Only two cross-stitch pieces - Leisure Arts "Last Supper", and Teresa Wentzler's "Fortunate Traveler". I also have two crocheted afghans in the works.
12. How many UFOs do you have at this time?
None - I've either finished or adopted out my UFOs.
13. How many cross stitch charts/kits/mags do you own?
Rather a lot. I gave away a lot of magazines a couple months ago, and I need to cull my charts and kits because my tastes have changed.
14. How much fabric do you have in stock at this time?
Oh gracious, I couldn't even begin to guess! Quite a bit!
15. Where is your favorite place to stitch?
Right now, my bedroom. It's out of the main area of the house, and it's comfortable.
16. What is your favorite time of day to stitch?
I do most of my stitching in the evenings, because I work during the day.
17. How many pieces have you stitched in your lifetime?
Well, I have 26 up on my Picturetrail album, and I'm sure I've done more than twice that. I'd guess between 75 and 100 pieces.
18. Do you give your stitched pieces away?
Sometimes. Most of the smaller pieces I've done were intended as gifts.
19. How many different fibers do you have in stock at this time?
I probably have at least one skein of about 15 different types, thanks to trades and generous secret stitchers!
20. How many pairs of scissors do you own?
Needlework-specific, probably 3. Closer to a dozen if you consider general craft/sewing scissors.
21. Do you use stitching enhancers (lights, scroll frames…etc)?
DH got me an Elan lap stand for Christmas a few years ago, and it's been in continuous use since then. I use Q-snaps (for smaller pieces) or scroll rods (for larger pieces) with it.
22. How many pieces that have been stitched but not yet framed or finished off in some other way do you have at this time?
If any, perhaps a couple of small embroidery pieces that are tucked away somewhere.
23. Do you have a craft/stitching room?
Not at the moment. I've started using the guest bedroom for craft storage, and that may eventually serve dual duty as a stitching room.
24. Why do you stitch?
To retain some semblance of sanity! I like to be creating something, and seeing a piece take shape as I work on it makes me feel productive. It also relaxes me.
25. What is your most memorable time related to cross stitching?
I don't know that I could pick a 'most memorable'. I've met several other stitchers when I've travelled on business, and that's always a lot of fun. I've also gotten a couple of awards for my stitching at company art shows a few years back, which is a nice ego boost.
I'm a tad frustrated at the moment because I can't upload some updates to the parish website, so I think I'll log off and go stitch!
Monday, June 13, 2005
The little things....
This weekend, I got a lovely unexpected email from a reader - a fellow stitcher and Catholic convert - telling me that she found my blog to be an inspiration to her.
I was deeply touched at the wonderful compliment. Warm fuzzies out of the blue...
And I think that whether I realized it at the time or not, it was something I needed to hear. It often seems to me that I'm just chasing my tail, so it was a small but powerful reminder that even the little things I do in the course of living my life can have a profound effect on others.
So to M, once again I thank you. Your email means a lot to me, and it really made my weekend!
I was deeply touched at the wonderful compliment. Warm fuzzies out of the blue...
And I think that whether I realized it at the time or not, it was something I needed to hear. It often seems to me that I'm just chasing my tail, so it was a small but powerful reminder that even the little things I do in the course of living my life can have a profound effect on others.
So to M, once again I thank you. Your email means a lot to me, and it really made my weekend!
Thursday, June 09, 2005
I'm no angel...
Well, I don't consider myself to be one, anyway, although I do try to be a positive influence. Most of the time, anyway..
One little quiz seems to disagree with my self-assessment. To wit:
Um, okay. At least an angel is a flattering comparison.
One little quiz seems to disagree with my self-assessment. To wit:
 | You scored as Angel. Angel: Angels are the guardians of all things, from the smallest ant to the tallest tree. They give inspiration, love, hope, and positive emotion. They live among humans without being seen. They are the good in all things, and if you feel alone, don't fear. They are always watching. Often times they merely stand by, whispering into the ears of those who feel lost. They would love nothing more then to reveal themselves, but in today's society, this would bring havoc and many unneeded questions. Give thanks to all things beautiful, for you are an Angel. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
What Mythological Creature are you? (Cool Pics!) created with QuizFarm.com | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Um, okay. At least an angel is a flattering comparison.
Monday, June 06, 2005
@
It's very rare that I get hooked on a computer game. Maybe once every couple of years I'll pick up a game, play it for hours a day until I win it, and then I'm done with it. The usual suspects are world-building games such as Civilization or campaign games such as Heroes.
The latest culprit, though, is a very old game - Moria. Yes, the old text-graphics dungeon crawl game, similar to Rogue and Nethack. I spent far too much time playing Rogue, Moria, or Nethack in college. Extremely primitive by today's standards...
...but I know I'll keep playing until I kill that Balrog!
The latest culprit, though, is a very old game - Moria. Yes, the old text-graphics dungeon crawl game, similar to Rogue and Nethack. I spent far too much time playing Rogue, Moria, or Nethack in college. Extremely primitive by today's standards...
...but I know I'll keep playing until I kill that Balrog!
Thursday, June 02, 2005
Confessions of an adrenaline junkie...
Yesterday we went to Islands of Adventure!
The day seemed to be off to a soggy start - our drive began early in the morning, in the midst of torrential rains. If I hadn't already claimed a vacation day from work, we might not have gone. But since the rain seemed to be headed east, and we were headed west, we trusted that all would work out.
And it did. I dislike driving in torrential rains, but I felt strangely calm when normally I'd be white-knuckling the steering wheel. By the time I got off I-95 and headed westward, the rain and I were beginning to part ways, and we arrived at Universal to overcast skies and a light misty drizzle.
We splurged for 'premium' parking, which put us in a parking garage pretty close to the entry. We had purchased and printed tickets online, so we were able to go right up to the gate, arriving just after the park opened.
Marvel Super Hero Island
Our first stop was the Adventures of Spider-Man ride. DsD had been to Islands twice before, and the lines had always been too long for her to get in. Today, we were able to go right in! It was an enjoyable ride - a cross between a 3D adventure and a coaster. DD was pretty fooled by the 3D illusions, and sensory extras such as water droplets and blasts of heat added to the realism. Quite enjoyable. DD said she was a little scared but liked it. Next, DsD, dBF and I headed for one of my two desired destinations....The Hulk! DH and DD stayed in the arcade and played some games. MAN, what an adrenaline rush! Very intense coaster, with a little bit of a surprise at the end. DsD and I quite enjoyed it...dBF was a bit more, um, prayerful about the experience. But we all survived, and rejoined DH and DD to go play on the Storm Force Acceleratron (which was basically the spinning teacup ride with an X-Men theme). DH, dBF and I went on Doctor Doom's Fearfall, which was an initial adrenaline rush on the first ascent, but then seemed to be a bit of bouncing. It was like what I'd imagined bungee jumping to be like - I guess I'd been expecting something a little more freefall. It was neat, but I must admit it was a tad disappointing. The girls had stayed in the arcade.
Toon Lagoon
After the bouncing exercise, we went on the Popeye barges, a whitewater raft sort of ride. We Got Soaked. Well, except for DD, who had put on her poncho. With the rest of us soaked to the skin, the other ponchos I'd brought were pointless, so we didn't bother. DsD, DH and I went on the Dudley Do-Right log flume ride. Lots of corny puns, and more general external hydration! But still, a lot of fun. Probably even more fun when the sun is beating down and people need cooling off.
Jurassic Park
After the log ride, dBF and DD went to the Pteranodon Flyers, which despite the relatively light crowd was already building up a lengthy wait. This ride was unusual in that it requires that a child be at least one of the passengers. DH went ahead and went on the River Adventure ride while DsD and I waited for dBF and DD. We waited about 45 minutes, which ended up being the longest wait we had all day. DD enjoyed it, though - it was a suspension/glider type ride. We all went on the River Adventure afterward, having wasted $2 to discover that the rolling backpack I'd brought wouldn't fit in the provided lockers. The River Adventure was a neat little boat ride, though the animatronics could probably use a little updating. DD enjoyed it, and we got even more wet. (Notice a theme here?)
It was near noon by then, so we stopped for lunch. DH and I have a weakness for smoked turkey legs, so we indulged our inner barbarians. Fortuitous timing as well, as there was a bit of a rainstorm while we were sheltered under an umbrella eating. The rains let up about the time we finished, and we headed onward.
The Lost Continent
Our first stop after lunch was the Flying Unicorn, a smaller coaster. Unlike most kid coasters, this was actually pretty cool, and became DD's favorite ride.
By now, my other desired destination was starting to run...the Dueling Dragons, a pair of roller coasters that run in tandem but have very different tracks. The ride was just starting back up from the rains, so we got Express passes for later, and continued to the Eighth Voyage of Sindbad, a stunt/performance show. I liked it - it was pretty funny and a little bit campy. DD did NOT like the pyrotechnic effects, though, and buried her face in my shoulder most of the time.
Outside of the Sindbad venue is the Mystic Fountain, which at first seemed to just randomly spout off (both verbally and hydrally) at passers-by, but then I saw a kid actually get into an argument with the fountain so there must have been someone controlling it remotely. The overall effect was very cute.
The line for the Dueling Dragon wasn't too long yet, so since DsD and I wanted to ride both parts, we brought dBF along and rode on the Ice dragon, a suspension coaster with several loops and turns. Very cool - not as intense as the Hulk, but I liked it just as much. In the meantime, DH and DD played some of the gallery games, and won a stuffed dragon/donkey critter from Shrek2. There was still an hour left before the Express passes for the Dragons would be valid, so we moved along.
Seuss Landing
We rode on the Caro-Seuss-El, a carousel with Seuss's whimsical creatures as mounts. Each one seemed to have some way to interact with it - DD's beast had a head that she could bob, mine's head turned. Carousels are always nice, but there was nothing super-special about it other than that it looked cool.
We then went to the One Fish Two Fish ride, a spider/octopus variant that allowed you to move your fish up or down, while a song directed you which way to move to avoid getting water squirted on you. Yet another way to get wet!
The window of opportunity for our Express pass for Dueling Dragons had opened, so we headed back. DsD, dBF and I got on the Fire dragon while DH and DD went back on the Flying Unicorn. The Fire coaster certainly goes faster than Ice, but both were quite thrilling. We discovered, though, that Express doesn't put you at the front of the line for the Dragons like it does on other rides, so we had a bit of a wait. DH and DD had to wait about 25 minutes for us after finishing the Flying Unicorn, and if we'd known about the delay in the Express line, they could have gone for a third go as DD had wanted.
After that, we went to the Poseidon's Fury show. Being set in an underwater temple, there was no stadium seating, but rather a line and we barely missed the 4pm showing. By the time we realized this, we were already well in the queue, so we waited around for the 4:30 show. DD was a bit antsy about the line, which was in an underground passage, and she got a bit freaked out when we were finally in to the first of several staged rooms used for the show, which involved the guide and audience seeking an escape from an underwater temple while being embroiled in a feud between Poseidon and an evil wizard. To her credit, she calmed down pretty fast once we explained to her that it was just a show and not real. By itself, the show had some neat aspects, but combined with the wait and DD's initial distress, it was definitely the least favorite of my experiences.
We stepped out of Poseidon's Fury to see a strange glowing yellow ball in the sky, and we blinked in the sudden brightness. The newly-revealed sun helped with drying our clothes as we went back to Seuss Landing for the Cat in the Hat ride, which took one through the Cat in the Hat story. DD enjoyed it and I thought it was kind of cute. It reminded me a little of the older incarnation of the Imagination ride at Epcot.
And as the Cat in the Hat story came to an end, so did our time at Islands of Adventure. The midday visit, combined with the inclement weather, had helped keep the crowds (and thus the waits) down, so we were able to do pretty much the entire park in a day. After a brief time in an arcade to spend the remaining tokens from the morning (in which DD beat DH at air hockey but then lost to dBF), we left the park, had dinner, and made the long drive home.
General impressions
Other than the steep admission fee, which seem to be a hallmark of theme parks in general, I quite enjoyed Islands. There were several features which I prefer to the way Disney does things: most of the rides have a 'baby swap' area near the front of the line, where parents can take turns on a coaster while another stays with children who may be too young to ride, without having to wait twice through the line. I personally didn't take advantage of it, since someone was keeping DD occupied at all times, but I definitely like the concept. The line areas are also more decorated with themes related to the ride instead of being only a cattle-corral, and speakers added story or other ambiance to the wait. Some of the newer rides at Disney seem to be doing this, but Universal definitely hides their lines better....I'd rather wait under cover than in the rain any day! Another feature was the parking garage. Disney World has huge sprawling parking lots - Islands of Adventure could probably *fit* in one of Disney's lots! I also noticed the absence of most of the wandering street vendors with cheap goods that seem to plague Disney. (Only Rome is more infested with them, in my opinion).
There were still souvenir stands, and many of the major rides required one to walk out through a gift shop at terminus. I don't particularly care for that myself, but most of the rides at Disney do that as well. A fool and his money are soon parted, and with competing theme parks in such close proximity, each one wants their cut.
Driving around in search of dinner reinforced my opinion that Orlando is really just one giant tourist trap. There were so many stores, malls, restaurants and hotels, that it put me in mind of Vegas, except with strip malls instead of towering resort hotels. I don't think anyone actually lives *in* Orlando anymore.
The day seemed to be off to a soggy start - our drive began early in the morning, in the midst of torrential rains. If I hadn't already claimed a vacation day from work, we might not have gone. But since the rain seemed to be headed east, and we were headed west, we trusted that all would work out.
And it did. I dislike driving in torrential rains, but I felt strangely calm when normally I'd be white-knuckling the steering wheel. By the time I got off I-95 and headed westward, the rain and I were beginning to part ways, and we arrived at Universal to overcast skies and a light misty drizzle.
We splurged for 'premium' parking, which put us in a parking garage pretty close to the entry. We had purchased and printed tickets online, so we were able to go right up to the gate, arriving just after the park opened.
Marvel Super Hero Island
Our first stop was the Adventures of Spider-Man ride. DsD had been to Islands twice before, and the lines had always been too long for her to get in. Today, we were able to go right in! It was an enjoyable ride - a cross between a 3D adventure and a coaster. DD was pretty fooled by the 3D illusions, and sensory extras such as water droplets and blasts of heat added to the realism. Quite enjoyable. DD said she was a little scared but liked it. Next, DsD, dBF and I headed for one of my two desired destinations....The Hulk! DH and DD stayed in the arcade and played some games. MAN, what an adrenaline rush! Very intense coaster, with a little bit of a surprise at the end. DsD and I quite enjoyed it...dBF was a bit more, um, prayerful about the experience. But we all survived, and rejoined DH and DD to go play on the Storm Force Acceleratron (which was basically the spinning teacup ride with an X-Men theme). DH, dBF and I went on Doctor Doom's Fearfall, which was an initial adrenaline rush on the first ascent, but then seemed to be a bit of bouncing. It was like what I'd imagined bungee jumping to be like - I guess I'd been expecting something a little more freefall. It was neat, but I must admit it was a tad disappointing. The girls had stayed in the arcade.
Toon Lagoon
After the bouncing exercise, we went on the Popeye barges, a whitewater raft sort of ride. We Got Soaked. Well, except for DD, who had put on her poncho. With the rest of us soaked to the skin, the other ponchos I'd brought were pointless, so we didn't bother. DsD, DH and I went on the Dudley Do-Right log flume ride. Lots of corny puns, and more general external hydration! But still, a lot of fun. Probably even more fun when the sun is beating down and people need cooling off.
Jurassic Park
After the log ride, dBF and DD went to the Pteranodon Flyers, which despite the relatively light crowd was already building up a lengthy wait. This ride was unusual in that it requires that a child be at least one of the passengers. DH went ahead and went on the River Adventure ride while DsD and I waited for dBF and DD. We waited about 45 minutes, which ended up being the longest wait we had all day. DD enjoyed it, though - it was a suspension/glider type ride. We all went on the River Adventure afterward, having wasted $2 to discover that the rolling backpack I'd brought wouldn't fit in the provided lockers. The River Adventure was a neat little boat ride, though the animatronics could probably use a little updating. DD enjoyed it, and we got even more wet. (Notice a theme here?)
It was near noon by then, so we stopped for lunch. DH and I have a weakness for smoked turkey legs, so we indulged our inner barbarians. Fortuitous timing as well, as there was a bit of a rainstorm while we were sheltered under an umbrella eating. The rains let up about the time we finished, and we headed onward.
The Lost Continent
Our first stop after lunch was the Flying Unicorn, a smaller coaster. Unlike most kid coasters, this was actually pretty cool, and became DD's favorite ride.
By now, my other desired destination was starting to run...the Dueling Dragons, a pair of roller coasters that run in tandem but have very different tracks. The ride was just starting back up from the rains, so we got Express passes for later, and continued to the Eighth Voyage of Sindbad, a stunt/performance show. I liked it - it was pretty funny and a little bit campy. DD did NOT like the pyrotechnic effects, though, and buried her face in my shoulder most of the time.
Outside of the Sindbad venue is the Mystic Fountain, which at first seemed to just randomly spout off (both verbally and hydrally) at passers-by, but then I saw a kid actually get into an argument with the fountain so there must have been someone controlling it remotely. The overall effect was very cute.
The line for the Dueling Dragon wasn't too long yet, so since DsD and I wanted to ride both parts, we brought dBF along and rode on the Ice dragon, a suspension coaster with several loops and turns. Very cool - not as intense as the Hulk, but I liked it just as much. In the meantime, DH and DD played some of the gallery games, and won a stuffed dragon/donkey critter from Shrek2. There was still an hour left before the Express passes for the Dragons would be valid, so we moved along.
Seuss Landing
We rode on the Caro-Seuss-El, a carousel with Seuss's whimsical creatures as mounts. Each one seemed to have some way to interact with it - DD's beast had a head that she could bob, mine's head turned. Carousels are always nice, but there was nothing super-special about it other than that it looked cool.
We then went to the One Fish Two Fish ride, a spider/octopus variant that allowed you to move your fish up or down, while a song directed you which way to move to avoid getting water squirted on you. Yet another way to get wet!
The window of opportunity for our Express pass for Dueling Dragons had opened, so we headed back. DsD, dBF and I got on the Fire dragon while DH and DD went back on the Flying Unicorn. The Fire coaster certainly goes faster than Ice, but both were quite thrilling. We discovered, though, that Express doesn't put you at the front of the line for the Dragons like it does on other rides, so we had a bit of a wait. DH and DD had to wait about 25 minutes for us after finishing the Flying Unicorn, and if we'd known about the delay in the Express line, they could have gone for a third go as DD had wanted.
After that, we went to the Poseidon's Fury show. Being set in an underwater temple, there was no stadium seating, but rather a line and we barely missed the 4pm showing. By the time we realized this, we were already well in the queue, so we waited around for the 4:30 show. DD was a bit antsy about the line, which was in an underground passage, and she got a bit freaked out when we were finally in to the first of several staged rooms used for the show, which involved the guide and audience seeking an escape from an underwater temple while being embroiled in a feud between Poseidon and an evil wizard. To her credit, she calmed down pretty fast once we explained to her that it was just a show and not real. By itself, the show had some neat aspects, but combined with the wait and DD's initial distress, it was definitely the least favorite of my experiences.
We stepped out of Poseidon's Fury to see a strange glowing yellow ball in the sky, and we blinked in the sudden brightness. The newly-revealed sun helped with drying our clothes as we went back to Seuss Landing for the Cat in the Hat ride, which took one through the Cat in the Hat story. DD enjoyed it and I thought it was kind of cute. It reminded me a little of the older incarnation of the Imagination ride at Epcot.
And as the Cat in the Hat story came to an end, so did our time at Islands of Adventure. The midday visit, combined with the inclement weather, had helped keep the crowds (and thus the waits) down, so we were able to do pretty much the entire park in a day. After a brief time in an arcade to spend the remaining tokens from the morning (in which DD beat DH at air hockey but then lost to dBF), we left the park, had dinner, and made the long drive home.
General impressions
Other than the steep admission fee, which seem to be a hallmark of theme parks in general, I quite enjoyed Islands. There were several features which I prefer to the way Disney does things: most of the rides have a 'baby swap' area near the front of the line, where parents can take turns on a coaster while another stays with children who may be too young to ride, without having to wait twice through the line. I personally didn't take advantage of it, since someone was keeping DD occupied at all times, but I definitely like the concept. The line areas are also more decorated with themes related to the ride instead of being only a cattle-corral, and speakers added story or other ambiance to the wait. Some of the newer rides at Disney seem to be doing this, but Universal definitely hides their lines better....I'd rather wait under cover than in the rain any day! Another feature was the parking garage. Disney World has huge sprawling parking lots - Islands of Adventure could probably *fit* in one of Disney's lots! I also noticed the absence of most of the wandering street vendors with cheap goods that seem to plague Disney. (Only Rome is more infested with them, in my opinion).
There were still souvenir stands, and many of the major rides required one to walk out through a gift shop at terminus. I don't particularly care for that myself, but most of the rides at Disney do that as well. A fool and his money are soon parted, and with competing theme parks in such close proximity, each one wants their cut.
Driving around in search of dinner reinforced my opinion that Orlando is really just one giant tourist trap. There were so many stores, malls, restaurants and hotels, that it put me in mind of Vegas, except with strip malls instead of towering resort hotels. I don't think anyone actually lives *in* Orlando anymore.
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Italy 2004
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